Franklin experts a ? for ya.

[Yaha]

I am not a huge Frankie collector nor am I am Silver coin seeker, I have many and sold many but the reason is the super looking coins that don't grade high.

 

Here is my ?.. What makes a Franklin above a top gem 66 grade? I just sent in 6 amazing Franklins that had no marks in field, a few came back cam, but all were dead on grade of 66.. Yes, I am excited about owning a $250+ valued Cam 66 Franklin, but again what is the downfall of that coin.

 

Is it the strike? Because it's not FBL with every other thing going on.. Help me.

 

As many know I am a Gold coin lover and made great investments by buyin that yella in the 1990's and selling for huge profits..

[robec1347]

I'm not an expert in the series, although I did have a complete Cameo/Deep Cameo set. If you have a 66 Cameo, then you must be talking proof. If that's the case, they don't designate proofs FBL since they all are FBL. I don't believe there are any MS Franklins designated Cameo.

[coinman_23885]

I am not a huge Frankie collector nor am I am Silver coin seeker, I have many and sold many but the reason is the super looking coins that don't grade high.

 

Here is my ?.. What makes a Franklin above a top gem 66 grade? I just sent in 6 amazing Franklins that had no marks in field, a few came back cam, but all were dead on grade of 66.. Yes, I am excited about owning a $250+ valued Cam 66 Franklin, but again what is the downfall of that coin.

 

Is it the strike? Because it's not FBL with every other thing going on.. Help me.

 

As many know I am a Gold coin lover and made great investments by buyin that yella in the 1990's and selling for huge profits..

 

In my opinion, the Franklin Half Dollar series is one of the most inconsistently graded series. With proof coins, there may be additional considerations. For instance, hazing could be an issue. If the surfaces, strike, and luster are superior for a MS/PF66, then I would look to see if there was anything that would cause the coin to be silently net graded.

[James_OldeTowne]

In my experience, given that a particular proof has no other problem, what entirely determines grade is the hairlines.

 

Let's assume there are no carbon spots, stains, or problems with strike. Eliminate those factors, and all that's left is hairlines (luster has no significant impact on proof grades, therefore, dipping is not a problem either, since there is no real luster to be ruined by "overdipping").

 

At PF-65, there will be a handful of hairlines on each side, and at PF-66, there may still be a handful, but they will be difficult to find. You'll have to rotate and tilt the coin through all possible viewing angles to find them. PF-67s will show at most a couple, again, with a lot of effort required to find them. PF-68 coins should seemingly have no hairlines at all, but chances are, there is one lurking somewhere, probably on the reverse, and it will be well hidden.

 

I'm not trying to interpret official grading standards. I'm giving my observations of what I've seen over the years. Unfortunately, slabs get hairlines themselves, which are then reflected on the proof coins mirrored surface, making evaluation even tougher, but I think my general guidelines above are reasonably accurate.

[Yaha]

In my experience, given that a particular proof has no other problem, what entirely determines grade is the hairlines.

 

Let's assume there are no carbon spots, stains, or problems with strike. Eliminate those factors, and all that's left is hairlines (luster has no significant impact on proof grades, therefore, dipping is not a problem either, since there is no real luster to be ruined by "overdipping").

 

At PF-65, there will be a handful of hairlines on each side, and at PF-66, there may still be a handful, but they will be difficult to find. You'll have to rotate and tilt the coin through all possible viewing angles to find them. PF-67s will show at most a couple, again, with a lot of effort required to find them. PF-68 coins should seemingly have no hairlines at all, but chances are, there is one lurking somewhere, probably on the reverse, and it will be well hidden.

 

I'm not trying to interpret official grading standards. I'm giving my observations of what I've seen over the years. Unfortunately, slabs get hairlines themselves, which are then reflected on the proof coins mirrored surface, making evaluation even tougher, but I think my general guidelines above are reasonably accurate.

 

 

 

James. I thank you very much as the other responders to this issue. I bet there are those hairlines you say, but these coins were pulled from sealed mint sets.. Also, I screwed up, the 1959's are U/cams 66 which are just damn beautiful and @ $220+ a coin I guess it's ok, a 67 in the same year U/cam is only a slight bump. I am happy with a few earlier dates too. Thanks

 

Can anyone put a franklin with 300% zoom showing hairlines so I can compare?

 

George Graham

 

 

 

I don't have a "Ultra cam" 66 1959, I got 4 1960 and 1961 Ultra-cams 66 Franklins though and I believed strongly they were higher. I guess the reason for the 1959's coming back only CAMS it must be the weaker mirrors because the damn frost look just as good as the 1960/61 Ultra Cams were..

 

Looking again at a dozen+ of recent graded Frankies the 1959's are Cam 66.. Yes, I type faster than I think sometimes, sorry..

 

Also with all the hairlines Mark.. Why do the Silver coins get dinged more than Gold Coins with hairlines?

 

Is it the Softness of the Gold compared to Silver?

[MarkFeld]

In my experience, given that a particular proof has no other problem, what entirely determines grade is the hairlines.

 

Let's assume there are no carbon spots, stains, or problems with strike. Eliminate those factors, and all that's left is hairlines (luster has no significant impact on proof grades, therefore, dipping is not a problem either, since there is no real luster to be ruined by "overdipping").

 

At PF-65, there will be a handful of hairlines on each side, and at PF-66, there may still be a handful, but they will be difficult to find. You'll have to rotate and tilt the coin through all possible viewing angles to find them. PF-67s will show at most a couple, again, with a lot of effort required to find them. PF-68 coins should seemingly have no hairlines at all, but chances are, there is one lurking somewhere, probably on the reverse, and it will be well hidden.

 

I'm not trying to interpret official grading standards. I'm giving my observations of what I've seen over the years. Unfortunately, slabs get hairlines themselves, which are then reflected on the proof coins mirrored surface, making evaluation even tougher, but I think my general guidelines above are reasonably accurate.

 

 

 

James. I thank you very much as the other responders to this issue. I bet there are those hairlines you say, but these coins were pulled from sealed mint sets.. Also, I screwed up, the 1959's are U/cams 66 which are just damn beautiful and @ $220+ a coin I guess it's ok, a 67 in the same year U/cam is only a slight bump. I am happy with a few earlier dates too. Thanks

 

Can anyone put a franklin with 300% zoom showing hairlines so I can compare?

 

George Graham

Plenty of Proof coins pulled out of sealed sets display hairlines. And, as has already been stated, haze and/or spots and/or hairlines almost always account for the grades on Proof coins from that era.

 

Also, even a very good, largely magnified image usually wont show fine hairlines.

[SkyMan]

I'd agree with all of the above. The most important determinant for higher grade proof Franklins is hairlines. As to your comments that you got U/cam 1959 Franklins, if you did indeed get a UCAM 1959 you are in the money. That is a VERY rare coin.

[Yaha]

I'd agree with all of the above. The most important determinant for higher grade proof Franklins is hairlines. As to your comments that you got U/cam 1959 Franklins, if you did indeed get a UCAM 1959 you are in the money. That is a VERY rare coin.

 

 

Sorry Skyman, you made me check my coins and response to my last offering on here again No ultra 1959 66 but they are CAM 66 still ok in my book I guess, paid $14.00 each for them.

 

I edited my last post.. Almost hit it big, but no Cigar..

[James_OldeTowne]

As others have stated, proof coins left the mint with hairlines already on them. And in the very high grades, they are indeed THE grading factor.